Posted by Kari | January 22, 2014 | Comments Off on Your Playbook for Business Success in 2014

Webinar Recap!

This month, WeddingWire CMO Sonny Ganguly presented our monthly educational webinar for premium members, Your Playbook for Success – Top Business Resolutions for 2014! In this one-hour session, Sonny shared the top 10 categories that are important to consider for your business’ success, and some key resolutions or strategies associated with each that will work to improve your business this year.

Listed below are high-level business resolutions based on the top 10 categories for business success!

Brand: Your business brand matters! What does your brand currently say about you? Invest time and energy in building your brand equity and creating more value and awareness surrounding your services.

Website: Metrics are important. Commit to tracking your analytics this year by measuring, analyzing and improving your traffic and engagement across your website. Google Analytics is a free and user-friendly resource!

SEO: We know that Search Engine Optimization can seem daunting, but all you need is a little L.U.C.K! Be on your way to being an SEO pro by remembering the keys to success when optimizing your site and blog – Linking Strategy, URL structure, Content Optimization and Keyword Focus.

Social media: Take the time to create a social media strategy this year. Focus on a few key social media sites to really engage with, and dedicate a bit of time to developing content, growing your audience and improving interaction to reach more new target audiences. We recommend establishing a presence on Facebook and 2-3 other popular sites (such as Pinterest, Twitter, Google + or Instagram) to build your brand and gain some added exposure.

Video: Video will become increasingly popular and an important marketing tool this year. Get started by creating a YouTube account for your business, and also easily create professional video in minutes with the Video Builder to showcase your services in an engaging and fun way.

Mobile: Not being mobile friendly is no longer an option! Your clients are searching for wedding professionals, planning their day, emailing and posting from smartphones and tablets. Make it a goal to become a mobile-friendly business from your website, to your blog, email and even payments this year.

CRM: CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management – tools that are designed to improve your sales process and make running your business more efficient. CRMs have been shown to increase sales by up to 29% by making the sales process smart.Learn more and take on a CRM system this year! Get started with WeddingWire’s Clients Tools to track business from inquiry to booking and more.

Reputation: In the wedding industry, having a strong reputation is incredibly important. There are four keys to a strong reputation: Reviews, Endorsements, Testimonials and Social Sharing. Make it a goal to get one new review a month to strength your reputation!

Network: Networking is a key aspect to building business awareness and getting more referrals from other local wedding professionals. LinkedIn is a great social network dedicated to building your personal brand and connecting in a business-focused manner. Be sure to create and maintain an active profile on the network/

Technology: Keep up with the latest in tech! Interested in the future of wearable technology, progression of mobile and more? Check out last month’s webinar, What’s Next in Tech in the Education Center!

Did you know that all of our past webinars are available in our Education Center for premium WeddingWire Pros? Check out past webinars you may have missed in a wide variety of topics from client management to SEO, social media and more!

What are your top business resolutions this year? We love to hear from you!